This invention relates to a steering column switch and more particularly to a steering column switch having a flasher switch as a part thereof.
Steering column switches which are particularly useful in automotive applications, are illustrated in German Patent Application No. 16 55 067, German Patent Application No. 29 31 903 and German Patent No. 22 20 438. These switches illustrate steering column switches which function to control the direction indicator switches. The warning flashing switch interacts directly with the functions of the direction indicator switch which causes difficulties with respect to the mechanical design of this switch. Particularly, the warning flashing switch impairs the position of the actuating members. The previous switches need large and extensive switching bridges, which necessitate the construction of the steering column switch being specially designed and adapted to combine all of these functions.
It is the object of this invention to design such a steering column switch that a warning flashing switch may be built into it without extensive redesigns or with a minimum amount of difficulty. The switching elements of the warning flashing switch should require within the steering column switch as little space as possible. This is necessary or the steering column switch would have to be redesigned and remanufactured in order to accommodate the warning flashing switch.
Applicant has solved these problems by providing a warning flashing switch within the steering column switch by supplying a conductor plate within the steering column switch. In a ring section of the conductor plate, contact heads are arranged on both the upper and lower sides of the conductor plate. A switching slider is slidably arranged in parallel to the shaft of the steering column switch and is thus perpendicular to the plane of the conductor plate. The switching slider has several contact bridges cooperating with the contact heads of the conductor plate. As the slider is operated from the steering column, the contact bridges which cooperate with the contact heads on the conductor plates open and close various electrical circuits. On the slider there are two contact bridges which are non-flexible and attached respectively to the slider on the opposite sides of the conductor plate. These contact bridges fix the respective stop positions of the slider. All other contact bridges are flexible to provide good contact between contact heads. The invention uses only a narrow annular area of the steering column switch. This makes it possible to arrange the actuating member on the upper side of the steering column between the normally positioned switching levers on the steering column. Normally one of these switching levers control windshield wiper functions, and the other controls the turn signals of the automobile. By positioning the actuating member at such a place, it excludes or minimizes the possibility of an erroneous actuation. The depth of the design of the warning flashing switch is extraordinarily small, as it amounts basically only to the thickness of the plate-shaped slider so that it fits easily into existing steering column switches. The invention thus does not require the redesign and remanufacture of present steering column switches, especially in that the conductor plate is designed to be used for the warning flashing switch. The conductor plate is suspended on the steering column switch as illustrated in the disclosure.
In one embodiment the warning flashing switch may be designed as a slider switch with the actuating member forming a part of the slider. In another embodiment, the actuating member is designed as a switching rocker member and is pivotal around a shaft. It meshes by tooth or geared racks into toothed rails of the slider.
To establish the stop positions of the slider, the slider mechanism is provided with yielding tongue-shaped members cooperating with a diamond-shaped locking profile which is fixed to the switch housing. The tongues are guided by designing the ends of the tongues in a crown or convex shape and the locking profile has a profile curve with a groove-shaped cross section to retain the ends of the tongues therein. The stop position of the rocker switch is fixed by providing the rocker switch with a locking profile that yieldingly or flexibly engages a cooperating locking piece positioned perpendicular to the shaft of the switching rocker.
The non-flexible contact bridges which function as stops for the slider are seated on pins of the slider. These contact bridges come in contact with the stationary conductor plate and establish the limits of travel of the slider in the direction of movement parallel to the steering column shaft. Other contact bridges are designed to be flexible to permit proper seating against the contacts on the conductor plate. These latter contact bridges can further be supported by springs to aid in their proper seating against the contacts on the conductor plate.
The invention also provides for a lamp contact bridge as part of the flexible contact bridges. The lamp contact bridge has a contact web that cooperates with a contact head which is fixed to a projection in a leg of the slider. This provides a safely locked contact which is secured in every switching position without having to tilt the slider to provide the safely locked contact.
These and other objects will become apparent on reading the brief description of the drawings and detailed description of the preferred embodiment.